“Hydrogen represents a fundamental pillar for the path towards European decarbonisation and the strategies aimed at ensuring an energy transition that is as sustainable and competitive as possible”. She said it Peter Ercoli, executive director decarbonization unit of Snam speaking at the 2024 edition of Green & Hydrogen Forum, organized by Sole 24 Ore. In a panorama in which the transition towards renewable energy sources presents itself as a fundamental challenge for the future, the development of hydrogen production and related infrastructure emerges as a winning strategy for operators in the energy sector. The debate between the main players in the sector therefore becomes essential to outline tangible objectives and effective strategies in realizing ambitious projects for European industrial development.
Piero Ercoli's speech at the Green & Hydrogen Forum
“The European Commission, which has dedicated an entire section of the REPowerEU plan to hydrogen and its applications, is moving in this direction and the publication in the official journal of the 'Gas and Hydrogen Package', the reform of the gas and of hydrogen, proves it: establishing common rules for the transport, supply and storage of hydrogen and the organization and functioning of the sector allows us to face this transition in a choral and synergistic way", continued the executive director.
Ercoli then underlined the crucial role that hydrogen and its infrastructure play in the current energy landscape. “As an infrastructure and transport operator, we are committed to the role of enablers of this transition,” he said, highlighting projects like the SouthH2 Corridor, an investment of common interest of the European Union which enhances Italy's strategic role in the continental energy context.
The words of Ercoli they only underline the importance of synergistic collaboration and innovation in the hydrogen sector. Programs like the Decarbonization Research Center e Hyaccelerator, which support the most innovative startups in the sector, highlight Snam's desire to be a driver of innovation in this field.
Fratin: “By the summer we will have a strategy on hydrogen”
The agriculture minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin he then added further details on national strategies regarding hydrogen. With a significant investment of 3,6 billion euros in National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Pnrr), Italy is positioning itself as a key player in the race towards the production of green and blue hydrogen. “We must equip the business system, especially in the hard-to-abate sectors,” declared the minister, underlining the need to prepare the ground for efficient and competitive hydrogen production.
Pichetto Fratin also announced the development of a draft decree on economic incentives for the production of low-cost hydrogen, with the hope of seeing it approved by the European Union by the end of the year. According to the minister, by the summer, Italy will have defined a complete national strategy on hydrogen, which will not only promote the competitiveness of Italian companies but will also contribute to positioning the country as a point of reference for Europe.
